Weapon trigger guard apparatus

ABSTRACT

A gun rack including a support member, or lock coupled to the support member, and a weapon trigger guard apparatus having a base coupled to the support member. A trigger guard cover is pivotably coupled to the base for movement between an open position and a closed position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSerial No. 09/364,136, filed Jul. 30, 1999, which claims the benefit ofU.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/094,942, filed Jul. 31, 1998and U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/104,451, filed Oct. 16,1998, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a weapon trigger guard. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a weapon trigger guardfor use with a gun rack.

[0003] It is known to provide gun racks to store law enforcement weaponsin vehicles. Typically, these gun racks are mounted to various locationsin the vehicle. The gun racks include a lock to secure the weapon to thegun rack. Typically, the lock is an electrically operated lock that hasa key override feature.

[0004] Such conventional gun racks secure the weapon to the rack andprovide easy access to the weapon. However, some conventional gun racksleave the trigger of the weapon exposed. The present invention relatesto a trigger guard for a weapon. The trigger guard of the presentinvention provides an enclosure which surrounds a trigger housing of theweapon when the weapon is in a locked position within a gun rack. Thecover is hinged to a base and pivots away from the base when the gun isreleased from the lock and removed from the rack. The cover is selfclosing when the weapon is placed back on the gun rack.

[0005] Additional features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the followingdetailed description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the bestmode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] A detailed description particularly refers to the accompanyingfigures in which:

[0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a gun rack for receivinga weapon including a lock for securing the weapon to the gun rack and aweapon trigger guard configured to enclose a trigger housing on theweapon when the weapon is installed onto the rack;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base portion of the weapontrigger guard apparatus of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cover of the weapon triggerguard of FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the weapon trigger guard mounted onthe rack with the cover in an open position for receiving the weapon;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating thecover in a closed position with the weapon trigger housing enclosed inthe trigger guard; and

[0012]FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view illustrating a latch forholding the cover in the closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a gun rack 10having an elongated support member 12 configured to be coupled to asurface in a vehicle. The gun rack 10 also includes an electricallyoperated lock 14 having a key override for securing a weapon 16 to therack 10. Lock 14 includes a pivotable cover 15 to lock the weapon 16 tothe rack 10. An illustrative lock 14 is described in U.S. Pat. No.4,949,559 incorporated herein by reference and is available fromPro-Gard Industries located in Indianapolis, Ind. It is understood thatany conventional gun lock may be used in accordance with the presentinvention.

[0014] A barrel rest 17 is coupled to support member 12 adjacent lock14. A weapon trigger guard 18 is also coupled to the support member 12of gun rack 10. The weapon trigger guard 18 is configured to surround atrigger housing 20 of weapon 16 when weapon 16 is on the gun rack 10. Bysurrounding the weapon trigger housing 20, the weapon trigger guard 18reduces access to the trigger housing.

[0015] The weapon trigger guard is best illustrated in FIGS. 2-6. FIG. 2illustrates a base portion 30 of the trigger guard 18. Base 30 includesan outer surface 34 surrounded by a side wall 36. Side wall 36 has firstand second side portions 38 and 40 and a front portion 32. Side portions38 and 40 include notched sections 42 and 44, respectively, which areconfigured to receive a portion of the weapon 16 as discussed below.Outer surface 34 is formed to include strengthening ribs 46. A firstlatch portion 48 is formed on front surface 42 of side wall 36.

[0016] Base 30 also includes amounting portion 50 having first andsecond mounting apertures 52 and 54 which are configured to receivebolts 56. Nuts 58 are then used to secure the base portion 30 to thesupport member 12 of the gun rack 10 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Mountingportion 50 also includes a cylindrical section 60 having a centralaperture 62 for mounting a cover 64 of the weapon trigger guard 18 tothe base 30.

[0017] Cover 64 includes an outer surface 66 and a side wall 68. Sidewall 68 includes first and second side portions 70 and 72 and a frontportion 74. First and second side wall portions 70 and 72 each includenotched sections 76 and 78, respectively, for receiving a portion of theweapon 16. Strengthening ribs 80 are formed on an interior side of outersurface 66 to strengthen the cover 64.

[0018] A second latch portion 82 is formed on front surface 76 of sidewall 68. The second latch portion 82 cooperates with the first latchportion 48 on the base 30 to hold the weapon trigger guard 18 in aclosed position illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0019] Cover 64 further includes a mounting portion 84 having first andsecond spaced apart cylindrical sections 86 and 88. The cylindricalsections 86 and 88 include an aperture 90 and 92, respectively. A bolt94 is configured to extend through aperture 92, aperture 62 of base 30,and aperture 90. A nut 96 is used to secure the bolt 94 to the cover 64to provide a hinge so that the cover 64 pivots relative to the base 30as discussed below.

[0020] A central plate 98 is formed between cylindrical portions 86 and88 of cover 64. The central plate 98 causes the cover 64 to closeautomatically when the weapon 16 is installed under the gun rack.

[0021] Installation of the weapon into the gun rack is shown in FIGS. 4and 5. The cover 64 is in an open position shown in FIG. 4 due togravity. When the weapon 16 is loaded into the gun rack in the directionof arrow 100, a surface 109 of weapon 16 engages the plate 98 and causesthe cover 64 to pivot upwardly in the direction of arrow 104. Therefore,when the weapon 16 is fully installed in the gun rack 10, the cover 64automatically moves to its closed position shown in FIG. 5.

[0022] The second latch portion 82 on cover 64 engages the first latchportion 48 on base 30 to hold the cover in the closed position shown inFIG. 5. Details of the first and second latch portions 48 and 82 areshown in FIG. 6. The first latch portion 48 includes a ledge 106. Thesecond latch portion 82 includes a ramp surface 108 and a ledge 110which engages the ledge 106 on the first latch portion to hold the cover64 in the closed position. When the weapon 16 is removed from the rack10, force is to applied by the weapon 16 on the cover 64 so that thecover 64 automatically opens to permit removal of the weapon 16.

[0023] The cover 64 and the base 30 of weapon trigger guard 18 cooperateto provide a clamshell-type configuration which automatically closes andconceals the trigger housing 20 of the weapon 16. It is understood thatany type of suitable material may be used to form base 30 and cover 64in accordance with the present invention. It is also understood that aspring closure member or other type of biasing device may be used tohold the cover 64 in a closed position. An over center spring can beused to hold the cover in an open position if the trigger guard 18 isnot mounted in an orientation where gravity automatically opens thecover 64.

[0024] Although the invention has been described in detail withreference to certain illustrated embodiments, variations andmodifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present inventionas defined in the following claims.

1. A gun rack comprising: a longitudinally extending support memberconfigured to be coupled to an interior surface of an automobile; a lockcoupled to the support member, the lock including a lock cover movablebetween an open position to permit installation and removal of theweapon from the rack and a closed position in which the lock cover locksthe weapon to the support member; and a weapon trigger guard apparatuscoupled to the support member in longitudinally spaced relation to thelock, the weapon trigger guard apparatus including a base rigidlycoupled to the support member and a trigger guard cover pivotablycoupled to the base, the trigger guard cover being movable between anopen position to permit installation and removal of the weapon from therack and a closed position in which the trigger guard cover and the basecooperate to surround and enclose a trigger housing of the weapon, thetrigger guard cover being positioned in spaced relation to the lockcover such that the trigger guard cover is independently movablerelative to the lock cover.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thebase includes a first latch portion and the trigger guard cover includesa second latch portion which cooperates with the first latch portion tohold the trigger guard cover in the closed position.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the trigger guard cover includes a plate memberconfigured to be engaged by the weapon to cause pivotable movement ofthe trigger guard cover to the closed position automatically as theweapon is installed onto the rack.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, whereinthe trigger guard cover includes an outer surface, and the plate memberextends from the trigger guard cover toward the base at an anglerelative to the outer surface of the trigger guard cover.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4, wherein the plate member is aligned generallyperpendicularly to the outer surface of the trigger guard cover.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the base and the trigger guard cover eachinclude an outer surface, and further comprising a plurality ofstrengthening ribs formed on inner portions of the outer surfaces of thebase and the trigger guard cover to strengthen the base and the triggerguard cover.
 7. The gun rack of claim 1, further comprising a barrelrest coupled to the support member in longitudinally spaced relation tothe lock and the weapon trigger guard apparatus, the lock beingpositioned intermediate the barrel rest and the weapon trigger guardapparatus.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trigger guard coverincludes an outer surface and a side wall, the side wall of the triggerguard cover being formed to include first and second notched portions toreceive a portion of the weapon.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, whereinthe base includes an outer surface and a side wall, the side wall of thebase being formed to include third and fourth notched portionsconfigured to receive a portion of the weapon.
 10. A gun rackcomprising: a support member; a lock coupled to the support member; anda weapon trigger guard apparatus comprising a base rigidly coupled tothe support member, a trigger guard cover pivotably coupled to the base,and an engagement member configured to engage the weapon to causepivotable movement of the trigger guard cover relative to the base asthe weapon is installed onto the rack from a first open position topermit installation and removal of the weapon from the rack to a secondclosed position in which the trigger guard cover and the base cooperateto substantially conceal a trigger housing of the weapon.
 11. The gunrack of claim 10, wherein the engagement member includes a plate membercoupled to the trigger guard cover, the plate member configured to beengaged by the weapon to cause pivotable movement of the trigger guardcover relative to the base to the closed position automatically as theweapon is installed onto the rack.
 12. The gun rack of claim 11, whereinthe trigger guard cover includes an outer surface, and the plate memberextends from the trigger guard cover toward the base at an anglerelative to the outer surface of the trigger guard cover.
 13. The gunrack of claim 12, wherein the plate member is aligned generallyperpendicularly to the outer surface of the trigger guard cover.
 14. Thegun rack of claim 10, wherein the lock includes a lock cover movablebetween an open position to permit installation and removal of theweapon from the rack and a closed position in which the lock cover locksthe weapon to the support member, the lock cover being positioned inspaced relation to the trigger guard cover such that the lock cover isindependently movable relative to the trigger guard cover.
 15. The gunrack of claim 14, wherein the base includes a first latch portion andthe trigger guard cover includes a second latch portion which cooperateswith the first latch portion to hold the trigger guard cover in theclosed position.
 16. The gun rack of claim 10, wherein the base and thetrigger guard cover each include an outer surface, and furthercomprising a plurality of strengthening ribs formed on inner portions ofthe outer surfaces of the base and the trigger guard cover to strengthenthe base and the trigger guard cover.
 17. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein the trigger guard cover includes an outer surface and a sidewall, the side wall of the trigger guard cover being formed to includefirst and second notched portions to receive a portion of the weapon.18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the base includes an outersurface and a side wall, the side wall of the base being formed toinclude third and fourth notched portions configured to receive aportion of the weapon.